Pasture Postmortem (Mandy Bell DVM Series Book 2)

by Abby Deuel

  "Totally," said Hamish.

  They devoured the meal. Everyone must have been starving. Not to mention that it was delicious. They each had another helping.

  "I had no idea duck could be so lovely. Thanks for making this, you guys," said Mandy.

  "Welcome to the Midwest. We have lots of things Nature provides for us. This is one of the richest parts of the nation, in terms of farming and game meat," said Gillian.

  "I like the taste of it," said Mandy. "I always thought there were just lots of different casseroles here. I stand corrected. How was your ride today?"

  "It was nice. We extended our time by a half an hour today. We are trying to condition ourselves and the horses for a longer ride. So far, so good," said Gillian.

  "My horse is somewhat young. He takes a little working with to get him to participate in the ride obediently. I am getting there with him. Do you ride?" asked Hamish.

  "Not so much. I love working with every animal, except horses. There's something about them I just don't jive with. It seems to me like something you either have or you don't. It's not their size or anything like that. I can work comfortably with gigantic beef cattle," said Mandy.

  "Fair enough. I think growing up around them plants the bug in people. It almost seems to be something that gets passed down in families. Even though it takes extra money that we often don't have, it is important for me that I pass this along to Hamish like my parents shared with me. I like the idea of tradition. I'm lucky, too, because Hamish also enjoys it. I wouldn't force him if he didn't. We see some kids at rides who don't seem to be enjoying themselves nearly as much as their parents. I hope I never turn into that," said Gillian.

  "Me too," said Hamish, poking his mom with his elbow.

  "You guys get along so well. It's nice to see," said Mandy.

  "How about your family?" asked Gillian.

  "Oh, I'm sure they will be coming for a visit soon. They talked about coming for Christmas. They love seeing the country via visiting me at different clinics that I have worked for. I look forward to showing them around," said Mandy.

  "That would be fantastic. They are most welcome. We can't offer a place to stay as we don't have much space as it is. Anna's house is always there, though. Are you going to move into that for winter or stay in the RV?" asked Gillian.

  "Gerry was bugging me about that. As much as I don't want to admit it, you guys have a point. I can't winterize it to live in and expect to not endure major catastrophies. Storing it for winter is the smarter, safer thing to do. It just seems like moving into Anna's house admits more about my future than I want to commit to, you know?"

  "I see no reason to leave Crestview. What's the rush to go somewhere else?" asked Gillian.

  "It's not a rush. I just haven't wanted to settle in. I see some merits to it the more I stay in Crestview. Let's just let time tell us what will happen," said Mandy. "How about that Crowley family wanting to give the town a pavilion?" Mandy asked, clearly changing the subject.

  "It is so generous of them. I have to admit that it would be a nice addition," said Gillian.

  "It is such a tragedy about his cattle. He is one of those people who makes lemons into lemonade. At least all of them lived," said Mandy.

  "They lived because you guys are a pretty good team," said Hamish.

  "Thanks, son. We are, aren't we? We handled those cattle and then the Warner dogs. We have had some whoppers this week," said Gillian.

  "Indeed," said Mandy, thinking about the new drama in their midst. Try as she might to put Derek and Maggie out of her head, her mind kept wandering to them. It seemed so sudden and inexplicable. She simply could not wait until the lab results came back.

  "Dessert, anyone?" asked Hamish.

  "You made dessert?" asked Gillian.

  "I made some apple crumble. You've showed me how a million times so I thought I would try it solo. You can critique it and tell me how I did," said Hamish.

  "I'm impressed. Let's give it a try," said Gillian, glowing with pride for her son.

  Hamish gathered the dirty dishes from the table and stacked them next to the sink. He brought out smaller plates and fresh spoons for everyone. He placed the crumble on the table and started to distribute some to each plate, topping it with ice cream. Everyone took their first bite and exclaimed with glee.

  "Did you put nutmeg in this?" asked Gillian.

  "I did. I know you don't in yours. I thought it might be a nice addition," said Hamish. "Do you like it?"

  "This is delicious. You are a budding chef," said Mandy.

  "I love the nutmeg. Great idea. Where did you learn that?" asked Gillian.

  "I was talking to Myrna about what she puts in hers and she suggested it," said Hamish.

  "Anytime you want to get lessons from the best cook in town, I am all for it. Good on you, Hamish," said Gillian.

  "Thanks, mom," said Hamish.

  "See if you can get her to teach you some of her secret recipes," said Mandy.

  "I doubt I can crack that code," said Hamish, laughing. They all but licked their plates. "Does anyone want more?"

  "I am positively stuffed. I thank you guys for a wonderful evening. I should get back to the clinic to check on the bobcat, Lyle, and the puppy. Tomorrow morning will come soon enough and we need to be on our game to start researching what happened to Maggie," said Mandy.

  "You're not going to get involved with Derek's investigation, are you?" asked Gillian.

  "Perhaps," Mandy said, smiling mischievously.

  Chapter 16

  Mandy returned to the clinic to find a hungry bobcat, a wiggling puppy, and a snoozing Lyle. She tended to the puppy first. Then, she fed the bobcat and tucked him in for the night. She was now confident he could sleep through the night. She left a morsel of food in a small bowl for him to start experimenting with eating on his own. The puppy, on the other hand, would now take over as the reason she would not get to sleep through the night. She looked down at Lyle who was sacked out, spread lengthwise on the floor.

  "Are you ready for bed?" asked Mandy. Lyle looked up and yawned. "I'll take that as a yes. I think we should just stay in the RV tonight. I don't want to to drive anywhere. Is that OK with you? We have to come back to check puppy later."

  Lyle raced to the back door, acknowledging the plan and giving her acceptance. Lyle had not yet been allowed near the puppy in case she could somehow transfer whatever toxicity it was to Lyle. Mandy could not even fathom Lyle being sick. She was very protective of her beautiful collie.

  Mandy and Lyle quietly left the clinic to snuggle in bed in the RV. Since Gerry had fixed the RV leak, Mandy could use the water again. The RV was dry after running a few fans on it. They didn't even sit up and read. Mandy crashed into bed with Lyle at her head.

  Mandy was so tired that she could have slept all the way through the night. Unfortunately, she had to get up every two hours to feed the puppy. One of the hardest things to do is to raise a puppy from birth with no mother. They require around-the-clock care to replace what their mother would do. It was not uncommon for only one to survive in an orphaned litter of pups since it was so tricky to get them to thrive. With only one to focus on, Mandy was hoping that her success rate would be much higher.

  Mandy struggled to get out of bed the next morning. It felt like she hadn't slept at all, which was partially true. A few hours here and there hardly counted for a night of sleep. Despite it all, Mandy knew she had to get right back to it. She had her cup of coffee while Lyle ate breakfast. The routine was re-established once again with caffeine on board. Now ready for what the day might bring them, they opened the door to the clinic. It seemed empty without any Warner dogs and without Maggie. Emma and Jimbo filled the void by insisting on breakfast and petting.

  The puppy was ready for another feeding. Since it was a poison that had killed Maggie, the survival of the puppy through the night meant that she had miraculously not received a dose of whatever toxin it was. The preliminary results from the gross nec
ropsy Mandy and Gillian had performed supported that it was the poison alone that had caused Maggie's death and not some other communicable disease. Now confident that she was not contagious, Mandy let Lyle near the new bundle of joy. Lyle couldn't contain her enthusiasm for the puppy, giving her gentle nuzzles to which the puppy responded with little happy whimpers. Mandy could see that if this puppy made it, Lyle would have a new best friend. The RV might start to get a little crowded with a Great Pyrenees, a Border collie, and a human. She might have to think of alternative living accommodations after all. She still didn't feel comfortable in Anna's house.

  The morning appointments didn't seem particularly busy. Mandy would have time to start researching different causes of Maggie's untimely death while she waited for more information to come through the lab. Gillian arrived and found Mandy already doing just that.

  "Did you at least sleep?" asked Gillian.

  "Yes, I slept very well, between puppy feedings, that is. I had a nice full belly and an exhausted body," said Mandy, fibbing a little, not wanting sympathy from Gillian since she had brought the responsibility of the puppy on herself. Gillian had offered to help. Mandy just didn't want Gillian's life to be disheveled because of the puppy. They had just relinquished their shifts with the bobcat. Mandy didn't have a child to raise so she felt it was her duty to let Gillian have a normal schedule for a while.

  "When will results start coming in?" asked Gillian.

  "Should get some preliminary information this afternoon."

  "The appointments look straight-forward today, so you should have time to peruse," said Gillian.

  "Now you've said it," said Mandy.

  "Want a cup of tea before things get rolling?"

  "Sure. That'd be lovely."

  "Did you already feed bobcat?"

  "Actually, he ate by himself through the night. I put more food in for him because he is starting to feed himself. I am not going to interrupt the weaning process. I don't need to bottle feed him if he is ready to move on. I read that it can be as quick as overnight that they wean themselves. I didn't believe it. I am used to squirrels and raccoons that take forever to get the gist. They scream and squeak, wanting a bottle. You know what this means, though. Now that he is starting to eat on his own, we cannot handle him anymore. We simply clean his cage and feed him. That's it."

  "I knew this day would come. I am ready for the responsibility. I don't want to imprint him," said Gillian.

  "Correct. Tempting as it is to have a bobcat pet, that would only end in disaster. We want him to have the best chance of survival in the wild," said Mandy.

  They leisurely enjoyed their cup of tea and marveled at how mature Hamish had been the evening before.

  "He's definitely one we need to keep an eye on. He's going places," said Mandy.

  "You think?" asked Gillian.

  "He is so confident, respectful, and down to earth. He is someone you should be very proud of," said Mandy, feeling a twinge of jealousy for not having a son of her own to be proud of. How could she even entertain that idea. She hadn't had an address in over ten years.

  "That means a lot. Thanks," said Gillian. "Now, put your doctor hat back on. We have patients to see."

  With no surgeries, the appointments started when the doors opened. First off was a pet piglet named Della. She was coming in for vaccines since she lived in a household. Mandy drew up the vaccines after she examined Della thoroughly. One would think that a piglet wouldn't object to shots much with their thick hides. However, Della let out an ear-piercing squeal with each shot.

  "The worst part is that we have to do this again in four weeks," said Mandy. "However, since she is an indoor pet, I didn't know what your plans were with spaying her."

  "We hadn't discussed it. Why? Should we?" asked her owner.

  "Well, she is in heat right now. See how she is puffy down here. She may do a little spotting which is unpleasant for an indoor pet. It's a healthier thing for an animal to be spayed. It reduces risks of cancers and infections later in life. We could spay her in four weeks and give her the remaining shots while she's under anesthesia," Mandy proposed.

  "Actually, that makes perfect sense to me. Book us in and we'll be here."

  "Gillian can do that up front. For now, here is a list of things she can and can't eat. And here is a good source for pig feed. And lastly, here is a list of what to expect after vaccines. If she shows any of these signs, you must come back because she is having a reaction. It's rare, but it's best to be aware and know what to do," said Mandy.

  "Thanks so much. We have completely fallen in love with Della and we wouldn't dream of her ever being sick. You have been most helpful," said the owner.

  The next patient was a drooling cat. The owner placed the cat, Tito, on the exam table. It was obvious that the cat had been trying to groom himself. The unending string of drool made any attempt to groom foolhardy as the quicker he tried to lick, the more he just got more places wet.

  "My word, when did this start?" asked Mandy.

  "This week. It seems to be getting worse, however. He had trouble eating this morning with all of the drool."

  "Let's have a look." Mandy opened his mouth and found that one whole side of his jaw was irritated and infected. She found a wire stuck underneath a tooth that was rotten. "This might be the culprit," she said, as she pulled the wire out to show the owner.

  "What on earth?"

  "It seems that there is a tooth in there with a rotten foundation. Not only is that causing a problem but then the wire got caught underneath it and caused more trouble. He was probably trying to stop the pain in his tooth by munching on things he shouldn't have. At least he didn't swallow the wire."

  "What do we do now?"

  "We are going to have to put Tito under anesthesia and remove that tooth. We will clean the others and examine for any others that need to be removed. It shouldn't take too long. We can't do it today, though. We will have to schedule it for another day. In the meantime, here are some antibiotics and pain medication to make him more comfortable and start the healing process."

  "Look at that, the drooling is down to a trickle. You are a miracle worker."

  "I wouldn't go that far. Gillian can help you schedule an appointment for the dental," said Mandy.

  Mandy followed Tito's owner to the front to look and see what was on the schedule next since there was no one in the waiting room. She noticed that there was an hour blocked off for her to go and check the Crowley cows.

  "Dr. Bell, Mr. Crowley called. He requested that you to stop by to check the cows since it's been a few days. He thinks they are all on the mend. He just wanted your expert eyes on them," said Gillian.

  "I'll head out now. I will leave Lyle with you. She's curled up in my office," said Mandy. "The puppy should be good until I get back. I just fed her. If she needs more though, there is some mixed up and ready for her."

  "I'll keep an eye on her," said Gillian.

  Chapter 17

  Mandy hopped in her Jeep and headed to the sale yards. She found the Crowleys waiting for her.

  "Everything OK?" asked Mandy, unloading a bag of implements to help her examine the cows.

  "We think so. All of the lacerations look to be healing. The one with the lung exposed is breathing better. We just wanted to make sure it's all looking fine as we will need to head off on the road soon."

  "I see. Well, let's check each one and make sure. I can't sign a transport certificate unless they are all fit to be on the move," said Mandy.

  "We are at your disposal. How would you like to examine each one?" asked Mr. Crowley.

  "I think I will just take a walk among them first. Any that we need to examine closer, we can halter. They are so well-behaved, this shouldn't be too difficult."

  "Sounds good," said Mr. Crowley. "I heard you had another strange day, even on your day off. What happened to Derek?"

  "It wasn't the day off that I was hoping for, that's for sure. We really don't know what happened," sai
d Mandy. She wasn't keen on discussing the case with anyone until she knew more. They still hadn't released official results as to whether it was a murder or not. She shouldn't even know as much as she did. She refocused on the task at hand. She walked in and amongst the cattle, looking for signs of dehydration, diarrhea, sunken guts, anything to show that one had fallen behind. They were all eating or drinking or resting, which she took as a good sign. There was one cow toward the back that was laying down and not chewing her cud. Instead, she had a worried look in her eyes. The feces around her was dried and it was apparent that she had not moved in a long enough period of time for fecal matter to pile up around her. Mandy moved in closer. The cow had her head down. She didn't look bright at all.

  Mandy approached and decided to examine the cow on the ground. The cow was making no attempt to move so it wouldn't need to be haltered. She looked around for the source of pain for this cow. It wasn't one of the ones that she had operated on. There were no incisions or lacerations. Mandy took her temperature and it was elevated. The cow's pulse was also elevated. Mandy listened to her gut sounds and heard nothing in any quadrant. Her lungs sounded raspy too. She decided to do a rectal and vaginal exam. There was nothing amiss there.

  Mr. Crowley and his son approached. "We hadn't noticed this old girl down. What do you suppose?"

  "She seems to have pneumonia. We better get some anti-fever medication and a good dose of antibiotics in her. We also need to roll her so her down legs can get a chance to get some blood. It looks like she's been down longer than a few hours," said Mandy.

  "Right you are. We can give her lots of TLC. Is there anything else we can do for her?"

  "We may need to lift her to give her legs a break. Let's first see how she does with the injections. I can come back later to check on her," said Mandy. "Everyone else seems healthy and healing. Good job, boys."

  "No, no, no, thank you. You have done a tremendous job," said Mr. Crowley.

  "If you're not here when I check on her this evening, I'll touch base with you at Mrs. Bouvier's."